Louisiana flood: Live updates, Wednesday road closures

The Louisiana Flood of 2016 has claimed more than a dozen lives so far and many roads are still flooded Wednesday (Aug. 17) throughout the state, including a portion of Interstate 10 in Lafayette.

Flood relief efforts are in full swing for thousands of residents after a slow-moving weather system dumped as much as two feet of rain in 48 hours. At least 40,000 homes have been damaged and 20 parishes have been declared federal disaster areas.

More than 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday, with rescue efforts continuing Wednesday.

Here are the latest updates about road closures, ways to help, weather forecasts and more.

8:00 p.m.: The death toll in the flooding has risen to 13, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Here are the deaths by parish:

U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, says there won't be a new "Road Home" program. He avowed their owners' paths to recovery will not include the second coming of the fatefully fitful, red tape-entangled housing aid program that for years stressed out countless post-Katrina New Orleanians.

As floodwaters rose, here's how large companies like Wal-Mart and UPS worked to keep supply lines open, even as roadways were shut down.

Local officials continue to post images from rescues conducted over the past few days.

5:45 p.m.: The flood risk is low enough in St. John the Baptist Parish that officials feel comfortable resuming school on Thursday.

In Ascension Parish, Sorrento Mayor Mike Lambert estimated that 3/4 of the town is underwater, according to WWL.

"Some have inches, some have feet," he said. "My house has probably five feet. It just depends on what part of town you are as to the inundation."

5:15 p.m.: Save the Children, an international non-profit child's rights advocacy group with an office on St. Charles Avenue, has opened a "child-friendly space" in the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales today (Aug. 17). The non-profit is also distributing portable cribs, clothing, and hygiene items to families. Anyone interested in donating to Save the Children may do so here.

St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom urged residents there to be prepared for potential flooding as the water continues moving south. She said they are not seeing any significant water level changes yet, and that flooding is not a sure thing, but she wants residents to be prepared to leave if they need to.

The area officials are concerned about is anything north of Airline Highway closer to the interstate in the LaPlace, Reserve and Garyville areas.

"We've seen what's happened to our neighbors to the north and to the west of us, and we're trying to prevent that from happening to you," she said.

4:30 p.m.: Officials at Cristo Rey High School surveyed the damage to their facilities Wednesday. The school had just opened this month, after a year of renovating the former Redemptorist High School campus.

4 p.m.: A 12th person has been found dead as a result of the flooding. The body of a male was found in Denham Springs, according to reports.

Widespread flooding in southern Louisiana has prompted a community college to delay the start of its fall semester, The Associated Press reports. It's the second such announcement this week.

Baton Rouge Community College says it will delay the start of the fall semester by one week, to Aug. 29, after flooding ravaged the surrounding community.

WBRZ-TV reports the college also plans to remain closed for the rest of this week.

School officials said Wednesday that the closure will let them assess the facilities and grounds. Students, faculty and staff also will have time to resolve any issues before classes begin.

Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond postponed the start of classes to Monday, Aug. 22. Classes originally were scheduled to start Wednesday.

3 p.m.: The Coast Guard rescued another 14 people on Wednesday, raising the total rescued by the agency to 243 people. The Coast Guard said it has also assisted a total of 3,008 people in distress and rescued 71 pets.

The White House says Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson will visit Louisiana on Thursday to review the federal government's response to the widespread flooding that has damaged tens of thousands of businesses and houses, The Associated Press reports.

Spokeswoman Jennifer Friedman says President Barack Obama also spoke with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Wednesday morning to get an update after Fugate's visit to the state. She says Obama directed Fugate to use all available resources to assist in the response and recovery, and to regularly update him. Obama received the briefing while in Martha's Vineyard, a Massachusetts island.

Residents in 20 parishes are eligible for disaster assistance as a result of a federal disaster declaration. Friedman says more than 70,000 people have registered for individual assistance and more than 9,000 have filed flood insurance claims.

1:45 p.m.: Among the many public spaces damaged in the flood are some of Baton Rouge's parks and recreation facilities. The parish's recreation agency, BREC, is currently holding "emergency camps" to care for kids whose parents need to return to work while school is out.

Camps are being held at Independence, Highland, Jackson, Zachary Community Parks as well as T.D. Bickham Park in Baker. Camps are $14 a day or $50 per week where they will be needed for a longer period of time.

Parents can register for the camps onsite since the online registration system is not working due to the floods. Camps are open from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

1:15 p.m.: High water has forced St. James Parish to move a sandbagging location.

1 p.m.: The Exxon Mobil refinery in Baton Rouge -- the fourth-largest in the U.S. -- has shut down units because flooding threatened an offsite liquefied petroleum gas storage facility, according to Bloomberg.

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Baby deer have been among the animals rescued amid the flooding. One fawn found a resting place underneath Baton Rouge Coroner Beau Clark's desk.

12:45 p.m.: The number of Louisiana residents staying in shelters is falling as floodwater drains from the worst-hit parishes in the state, The Associated Press reports.

State officials say 6,000 people remained in shelters Wednesday, down from more than 11,000 earlier in the week.

It wasn't immediately clear why the number has dropped: whether some who evacuated as a precaution didn't get flooded or if others moved in with family and friends or returned to stay in damaged houses.

At an events facility in Ascension Parish, 1,100 animals remained sheltered.

More than 40,000 homes were damaged and at least 30,000 people and 1,400 pets were rescued as the storm hit parishes across south Louisiana with heavy rains and severe flooding. Eleven deaths have been attributed to the storm.

12:30 p.m.: As floodwaters soaked the ground, caskets rose out of the earth at some cemeteries.

12:15 p.m.: The New Orleans Zephyrs will be raising money for victims of the flooding throughout South Louisiana during their homestand from August 20-28.

From each ticket sold during the nine-game homestand, $1 will be donated to the American Red Cross "Louisiana Floods" relief fund.

11:45 a.m.: The U.S. Postal Service reported Tuesday evening (Aug. 16) 10 post offices in flood-affected areas have temporarily suspended operations. See below for where to pick up mail.

The U.S. Small Business Administration plans to open several south Louisiana locations to help businesses damaged by record flooding, The Associated Press reports.

Louisiana's economic development office is encouraging business owners to register for federal disaster aid and to look at other available support services at www.OpportunityLouisiana.com. The site has links to federal, state and nonprofit agencies offering assistance for water-damaged companies.

Federal aid is available for businesses located within the 20 parishes included in the federal disaster declaration. The SBA provides loans of up to $2 million to repair and replace damaged equipment, inventory and property.

At least 11 people have died, and tens of thousands of businesses and homes have been damaged from flooding.

11:30 a.m.: Ascension Parish officials provide an update, saying that water there is receding but that Port Vincent, Summerfield, St. Amant, Acy, Galvez, Sorrento, Bluff/Swamp and some areas of Gonzales are still underwater.

11:15 a.m.: The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank had four feet of water in its facility. The organization shared pictures Wednesday morning of what the buildings looked like after the floodwaters receded.

11 a.m.: People are still staying in the shelter at Celtic Studios, and people from around the Baton Rouge area are trying to give them a lift with some unique activities.

10:55 a.m.: Many Acadiana roadways remain closed. See below for the full list from Acadia, Evangeline, Lafayette, St. Martin, and Vermillion parishes.

10:45 a.m.: Water has been moving into St. James Parish Wednesday morning. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development reports that La. 641 is closed in both directions between I-10 and U.S. 61, including at both I-10 offramps.

10:30 a.m.: Lady Gaga says she's pitching in to help with flood relief efforts in Louisiana, The Associated Press reports.

The entertainer tweeted early Wednesday morning that she and her family are donating to relief efforts. She says she gives "thoughts and prayers to all of our loved ones in Louisiana suffering through the flood." Gaga didn't say how much she is donating or if she plans on giving in other ways. Her representatives didn't immediately return a request for comment.

The announcement comes a day after Taylor Swift told The Associated Press she is donating $1 million to the relief effort.

At least 40,000 homes have been damaged and 11 people have been killed in the floods.

My thoughts and prayers to all of our loved ones in Louisiana suffering through the flood. My family & I are donating to relief efforts.

10:25 a.m.: Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser will lead efforts to coordinate private donations and volunteers throughout the state and between parishes. A website has been created so people can offer donations and volunteer their time: www.VolunteerLouisiana.gov.

Any group or corporation intending to donate, cook or serve food can email donate@crt.la.gov and they will be connected to the parish nearest them or with the most need.

10:20 a.m.: Most branches of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library system are reopening today. The system also is sending bookmobiles to local shelters and centers.

Libraries from around the nation have offered to send books and other items. Shelters should contact Outreach Services at bookmobile@ebrpl.com.

10:15 a.m.: The Coast Guard rescued 10 more people last night and assisted other agencies in rescuing another seven in distress in Baton Rouge. Coast Guard crews to date have rescued a total of 229 people, assisted a total of 3,007 people in distress and rescued 67 pets.

10 a.m.: Efforts to keep an Entergy substation near Gonzales from flooding are working, the utility company said this morning. If the substation floods, 9,500 customers will lose power.

9:50 a.m.: The University of South Carolina is getting to return a favor to LSU, according to Fox Carolina. LSU helped South Carolina during floods in October 2015 and now USC is collecting supplies for Baton Rouge. Read more.

9:46 a.m.: Did you have to abandon your vehicle on I-12 because of the floodwaters? Louisiana State Police has towed it to safety -- for free. Here's how you can get your vehicle back:

9:30 a.m.: Do you think the Louisiana Flood of 2016 is getting enough national coverage? FEMA doesn't think so.

9:15 a.m.: "Nobody gets blamed for their losses the way that flood victims get blamed," writes Jarvis DeBerry, the deputy opinions editor at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

"Baton Rouge is not New Orleans. It's more than 80 miles away and has a higher elevation. But the two cities are in Louisiana, and it's inevitable that comparisons are going to be made between August 2005 and August 2016. And with the comparisons of Katrina and this past weekend's storms, there will be similarly condescending language used to talk about the people in and around Baton Rouge."

"We began The 1989 World Tour in Louisiana, and the wonderful fans there made us feel completely at home. The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking."

8:45 a.m.: West Nile virus, not Zika, is the bigger concern in the weeks after the flood, according to experts.

8:30 a.m.: Tropical Depression 6, a system in the central tropical Atlantic Ocean, is likely to become a tropical storm Wednesday.

7:32 a.m.: LSU is partially open today. Move-in for new students will begin Wednesday as scheduled. Intersession term will continue, and the Hebert Law Center and School of Veterinary Medicine will open for classes. Other academic units, however, will remain closed, as will the University Lab School.

7:30 a.m. I-10 is open in Baton Rouge. All major highways in the Denham Springs area also have reopened.

7:17 a.m.: I-10 remains closed in both directions from I-49 in Lafayette to US 165 near Lake Charles because of flooding. Find alternative routes and see the latest road closures statewide at 511la.org.